


Toxic

by Mystique1250



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Exes, F/M, Falling In Love, Natasha Romanov in New York, Teenager Natasha Romanov, Teenager Tony Stark, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark isn't Ironman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-10-29 14:08:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 9,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17809373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystique1250/pseuds/Mystique1250
Summary: "The problem is she's not only beautiful, she's intelligent, and that makes her dangerous."Tony Stark has everything a man could ever want. A family behind him, a successful career and a relationship. However, when a youthful acquaintance reappears, he suddenly realizes that something is missing after all. For the first time in his life he realizes what there is only one woman he really wants. Can he conquer her heart or does he burn his fingers?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This has been a prosa story I wrote, but I transformed it into a Fan-Fiction for you. 
> 
> English isn't my first language.

He pulls her gently but firmly with him and presses a hand on her mouth so that she does not betray him. As the footsteps fade, he releases his hand from her again, but keeps his arm wrapped around her hip.

"What are you doing here," it immediately bursts out of the teenager.  
"I longed for you," a broad grin appears on his lips.

She rolls her eyes and snorts contemptuously: "Don't try it in the first place". She frees herself from his grip, smoothes her blue-red skirt and straightens the white ribbon that she has forced to tie around her dark, high plait.

In fact, they know each other only fleetingly and she doesn't like the fact that he is there. He makes her nervous and makes her afraid of being caught. If he were caught in the school building - or even worse in her room - not only he, but she too, would get hot.

Because this is a girls-only school and the teachers here are particularly strict. And she certainly won't risk being thrown out because of a guy like him. Especially since he's not here because of her and somehow has to use her room as a hiding place after he has made out with some other girl.

"Come on," he lets himself fall on her bed without asking: "You secretly like me here."

"Don't dream," she opens her room window so he can climb out as he has done the other five times before.

He searches around in her bed and comes across the white teddy bear, which she actually has to hide from everyone, as if he wouldn't listen to her at all. At once she turns red. After all, at the age of sixteen you're actually much too old for that.

"It's okay to like me", he covers the front paws of the bear with both hands and then waves to her with a paw: "I'm kind."

Quickly she takes the stuffed animal away from him and snorts annoyed: "Yes of course.

"Relax, baby," he looks at her from head to toe: "Then life becomes much easier. Trust me!

This time she really has to fight with herself not to roll her eyes: "Don't call me that."

"What should I call you then?", he goes on and seems to be really interested this time.

"I don't know about you," she crosses her arms in front of her chest and tries to pull him up from her bed, but he stays firm and makes himself extra heavy.

"I want to know the names of the girls in whose rooms I sneak," he wiggles his dark eyebrows.

Annoyed, she sighs: "Will you finally leave when I tell you my name?

"Maybe", he shrugs, with a mischievous smile on his lips, with his shoulders.

When she looks at him with a serious look, he sighs: "Yes, good. If you tell me, I'll go." She breathes out relieved and the tension she has felt until now falls away from her. To her surprise, he even gets up before she can answer and slowly approaches her.

He gets closer and closer to her and stops only a few centimeters away from her. How automatically she moves back a few small steps. When he notices this, he grins broadly.

"So, out with it," he strokes a loose strand from her face. She swallows briefly, but then raises her head self-confidently: "My name is Natasha."


	2. Chapter 1

**Tony**

"Would you hand me that roll, please, Ashley?" I ask my girlfriend, who sits right in front of the basket of cookies. She pushes it over to me and I reach for a light one, which I immediately begin to cut open.

"Say, Ashley," Dad now turns to the girl with whom I've been in a relationship for quite some time. If you can call it long. If Eric, my best friend, would hear me say that for a long time, he would probably burst out laughing. That is why I am grateful at this moment that he is not here.

I give my father a warning look. Did my parents just invite us for breakfast in their apartment to question Ashley? If so, I immediately disappear again. My parents are really curious and also a little bit control-addicted. Especially when it comes to their only son and love.

"How is Tony doing?" Dad completes his sentence. Somehow it's not quite clear to me what he's referring to, and Ashley doesn't seem to be any different, so she looks at me questioningly.

I form a quiet 'good' with my lips, although I have no idea if she really likes me in whatever Dad's question refers to. But luckily she's someone who just chatters after me when she has no idea what to say. In general she is relatively easy to influence, which makes my life a lot easier. A relationship in which I'm always just arguing and in the end I'm ignored for five days is the last thing I need right now.

"Good", she repeats me as expected and then puts on a smile, which doesn't look so fake. Apparently she practiced.

"Hach, but I'm happy about that," Dad just goes on and doesn't seem to notice that we both don't really feel like answering his strange questions: "And how is it in the new apartment?

"Good', I say this time. Hopefully at some point he won't feel like playing this question-and-answer game if he doesn't get the right answers.

Then I start to fill my bun and just as I'm looking for the jam, I notice that Mom has gone to the kitchen to get some. But she hasn't returned yet, which is why I turn towards the kitchen.

As if on her cue, my mother opens the door at this moment and steps out of the room. To my astonishment, she not only holds the glass with the strawberry jam, but also a strange looking card in her hand.

She seems to have already started reading the back, because I can only see the image of a city on the front. If you take a closer look, I can also remember which city it is. New York!

"Why does someone send you a card from the city you live in anyway, Mom? I look at my mother with a questioning look. She raises her head and shakes her head: "Not me." Now I'm even more confused. She always reads mail that doesn't belong to her.

"You", she seems to have finished reading, because she puts the jam jar next to my plate and presses the piece of paper into my hand.

"You're reading my le-," I add to a question, but Mom interrupts me immediately. "Just read what it says," she tells me with a mischievous smile. This facial expression already tells me that it can't be a good thing, but I still comply with her request.

A little disinterested, I begin to read what is written on it. But already the first lines make me suspicious.

_Dear Tony,_   
_you might be able to figure it out. I am in New York! Why am I writing to you? Actually, that wasn't the plan, but your mom said it would do you good if you got some mail. Doesn't seem to be the case otherwise. But whatever. I'm pretty sure we'll meet soon._   
_xoxo_

I raise my eyebrows and lower the card. My mom instigates people to send me letters? It was typical again. And then even without sender.

But the letter must be from a woman, as clean as it was written. Besides, one of my buddies would hardly end with 'xoxo'.

I briefly think about who it might be. In my life I have met many women, but there is only one who has really left a lasting impression. But that can't be.

I quickly reject the thought again and push the card back to my mother, who has set it in the meantime. Surely Mom only allows herself a joke again to make me 'more social'. "I look at her reproachfully and bite into my bread roll.

 

She reaches, shrugging her shoulders, for the card: "Well, then ignore it." Her facial expression is serious, but there's something mysterious about it too, and suddenly I'm not so sure that I'm really just kidding my mother.


	3. Chapter 2

**Tony**

I close the curtains of my bedroom and drop on the bed. Ashley can be heard from the bathroom, still getting ready. Knowing that she will need a long time, I feel for my mobile phone. Instead of the smartphone, my fingers somehow close themselves around the postcard.

I don't know why, but I took it with me. I don't believe it, but there's a chance it's really from her. Even if it is almost infinitesimally small.

Once again I start to read the lines and wonder again about the place where my mother is mentioned. Would she really mention herself if she had written the card? She wouldn't be that stupid.

But if it isn't my mother, these words aren't typical for the girl I had to think of directly. She was always the responsible Good Girl, even if she could always counter grandiosely. She even made me sweat once in a while.

Without me being able to control it properly, I digress with the thought to the good English girl that now probably has become a successful woman and is at the top of his dream career.

***

I confidently put my arm around her shoulder, knowing she wouldn't push me away. They never do.

But still my heart starts to beat faster. Because she is not like the others. Even if at first sight she looks like the totally good girl next door, she has fire - but you have to ignite it first.

The lights of the city are reflected in the dark water of the lake. She stares at it like a spell and I wonder if she's really interested or just trying to avoid my gaze.

Grinning, I wrap her braid around my index finger and pull it gently. I want her to finally look at me, although I find it attractive that she keeps me at a distance. So she makes sure that my interest in her just gets bigger and I'm sure she does that on purpose.

Even though she is the total Good Girl at first sight, I quickly noticed that this is another side of her. An even more interesting page, that makes guys fidget and doesn't shy away from countering.

Gently I put two fingers under her chin and turn her face gently in my direction. Her facial expression is doubtful, but there is a spark in her eyes that makes my heart make a sentence.

I take a few seconds to look at her, then let go of her soft hair and bend forward. Contrary to my expectations, she does the same to me.

Our lips meet and I put an arm around her to draw her closer to me. Her lips are soft and she knows exactly what she is doing as her hands dig into my hair.

My stomach starts to tingle and I can't help but intensify the kiss. She replies with the same strength. The feelings she shows pass over to me and cause a total emotional chaos inside me, while the need to never let her go again intensifies.

***

"Honey?" Ashley skilfully pulls me out of my head, "Are you in bed yet?" Quickly I let the card, which I had just held in my hand, disappear into the top drawer of my bedside table.

Actually, I don't have any real secrets from my girlfriend, but she asked me holes in my stomach on the way home. I only fobbed her off with a short comment. But if she discovered the map again, the questions would start again. That's why I hide it! Anyway, I try to tell myself that.

"Yes", I answer quickly and lean on my elbows in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the adjacent bathroom. At this moment Ashley steps out of the room and turns off the light switch: "There you are at last".

She wears a pink bathrobe and has tied her blond hair to a plait. She hasn't taken off her make-up yet. I don't know why she goes to bed with make-up, but slowly I've got used to it. Let her do what she wants. If she just wants to go to bed with make-up on, let her do it. After all, it is her body and I don't have to talk her into it.

I move a bit and knock the blanket aside so that she can slip into bed with me. She accepts my invitation and gets into bed with me. The mattress lowers slightly and when she has covered up, I switch off the light. Although it is dark, I feel that she is looking at me from the side.

That's why I slide a little closer to her again and gently take her in my arms. Although I don't like cuddling in bed because I'm a restless sleeper and can't have it when someone breathes into my face, I can now read Ashley's body language and estimate relatively well when she wants something.

She clings to my chest and closes her eyes while I stare firmly at the ceiling. I gently stroke through her hair and try to get somehow tired, but my thoughts are completely elsewhere. Because although Ashley has ripped me from my memories, my thoughts about Natasha have not passed away.

I bite my lip firmly and look at Ashley from the corner of my eye. At the same time I feel bad, but on the other hand I just can't stop. It's as if the memories of her attract me like a magnet and keep me from suppressing her with all my might.


	4. Chapter 3

**Tony**

I get out of the elevator and enter the entrance hall of the company where I work. A glance at the clock tells me that for a change, I'm going to be working relatively early today. If things were different, I would have real problems today, not only with my girlfriend, but also with my parents.

The latter have hired me today for some celebration where they are the co-organizers and of course expect their son to be there. When I told Ashley about it, she almost freaked out with joy. So I can't disappoint her any more.

Relaxed I walk through the hall towards the entrance, knowing that Ashley will surely wait there to pick me up. She always does somehow.

As I step outside the door, the unpleasant heat that has been there since this morning strikes me again. In my air-conditioned office I had forgotten all about it. I take off my suit jacket as it is much too hot and hang it over my shoulder. Then I lean against a lantern and wait because Ashley hasn't arrived yet.

Suddenly my mobile phone rings. I pull it out of my jacket pocket and look at the display. It's my mother calling me. With my eyebrows raised, I accept the call: "Hey, Mom. What's up?"

"Hello, darling," she says. Fortunately, I hide quite well with my mother, so our conversations are never totally embarrassing or unpleasant.

"What's the matter?" I ask again, as I didn't get an answer. Because although we understand each other, my mother never just calls. She always wants something. Dad is different. He usually asks me how I am. To be honest, I was always quite a daddy child.

"Say, do you already have a suit for the party tonight?" she asks in a purring tone. I have to grin at her words. She is a caring mother, light control freak and luxurious party organizer all in one.

"Yes, but I'm sure you've found a better one," I say. At the same time another mobile phone tone sounds. I briefly take the phone off my ear and look at the display. A message from Ashley.

_Hey honey,_   
_can you maybe take a cab home? I'm still shopping and can't pick you up. I'm sorry._

I have to turn the phone on loud so that I can write her back and understand my mother at the same time.

"You know I was in such a store yesterday and I found a suit that would be perfect for you," she begins: "Of course I could bring it back to the store, but if you want to wear it ... "

Before she can go through her typical scam any further, I interrupt her: "If that's important to you, I'll put this on, too." "Okay, honey. Ashley picked him up earlier," she tells me.

I roll my eyes. It was clear that my answer wasn't so important to her. After all, she seems to have already ordered Ashley to pick up the clothes.

"Great," I answer briefly as I start typing a message into my cell phone.

_Okay, then I take a taxi. Bring coffee from the supermarket as well. I emptied it this morning._   
_See you later._

Then I press the smartphone back to my ear and step confidently to the side of the road to stop a taxi with a hand signal. Fortunately, I've learned that over the years here in New York. The most important thing anyway is a confident appearance if you want to stop one of the yellow vehicles. And you should have money with you, otherwise you will be thrown out in no time. That's not only true in New York, but everywhere.

A taxi stops and I get in. Before I answer the phone again, I tell the driver my house number. He nods and drives off. I press my mobile phone back to my ear: "I'm sitting in the taxi now, Mom. I'll see you tonight. Will you send me the address again?" "Yes, I will. But please be punctual," she asks me. "I am," I promise: "See you then." "Okay, see you then", with these words she hangs up.


	5. Chapter 4

**Tony**

Around nine o'clock I slowly start to get ready. Although the party doesn't start until twenty o'clock, I know myself well enough to know that I'd better start now. At first I always think that I won't need it for so long, but afterwards I didn't calculate enough time and arrive too late.

But Ashley is even worse than I am. Anyone who calls me vain because I need an hour to finish should first get to know her. She disappeared into the bathroom an hour ago and hasn't taken a step yet. I have to admit that she has had a shower in that time - she usually takes years to shower - and has done her hair. She has also just started with the make-up. But this is also by far what she usually spends most of her time on.

"Can I go to the bathroom right now?" I shout from the living room. I get up from the dining table and quickly put the used dishes in the dishwasher before I make my way to the bedroom.

Once there, I open the box Ashley put on my bed today when she came home from shopping. I have already opened the package and got a glimpse of the clothes inside.

In fact, I have to admit that my mother really showed good taste in the suit. Sometimes she just buys clothes for me that I would never wear in my life. I don't like the fact that she still buys clothes for me - after all, I'm an adult - but I can't refuse. After all, she is my mother and only means well to me.

"Yes, if you don't need all the space," the voice of my girlfriend sounds from the bathroom. I accept the rather urgent invitation, but before I do so I strip down to my underwear and take the suit out of the box.

First I put on the white shirt and trousers before I put on the matching suit jacket. Then I join my girlfriend in the bathroom.

She only wears underwear, which puts a slight grin on my lips. I've already got used to her walking around like that and hardly react anymore. Meanwhile I also know quite well when she is trying to annoy me with it. This is clearly the case right now.

In front of the mirror I start to tie my grey-black tie. When Ashley sees this, she turns to me and helps me. I can do that myself - you learn that when you work in a company where the suit obligation is pretty quick - but somehow she likes to do it, so I just let her do it.

"Thank you, I'm making efforts to give her a loving kiss, but she keeps me at a distance: "Hey, don't smear my makeup." I put on a played pout, but am slightly hurt inside. Unfortunately Ashley does this a lot. Her looks usually take precedence, which really annoys me.

However, I try not to let anything show and put my tie with a look in the mirror. Then I reach for my hair gel to get ready.

When I've done all the things I wanted to do, it's just before eight. Ashley has retired to the bedroom. "Ash? Are you ready,' I ask, 'because we should really be leaving soon. Mom sent me the address and it's not that close, so we hardly have time to dally. Pulling my parents' grudge on me is nothing I wish for.

Yes, I'll be right there," she shouts, "but for me that means it could take even longer. That's why I come into her room and watch her.

To my astonishment she is already wearing her dress, which is a good sign. The dress is purple and reaches down to the floor. The colour goes well with her blonde hair and blue eyes. These factors, coupled with her make-up, give her the look of the typical Barbie.

As soon as she is finally finished, we leave the apartment hand in hand. "Who's driving?" she asks me, jingling my car keys. "I", grinning, snatch the keys away from her nose. She sulks slightly. "Next time you may again", I admit to her when she looks at me pouting. "All right," she agrees. I put an arm around her shoulders and pull her gently towards me as we walk to the parking lot together.

 


	6. Chapter 5

**Tony**

The engine fades away and I pull the key out of the ignition lock. Then I get out and walk around the car to open the car door and help Ashley out of the car. She reaches joyfully for my hand so that she can stand well on the ground even with her high shoes.

"The party is going to be great," she closes the door behind her and then crosses her arm into mine. "Yes, sure," I say rather less convinced. Unfortunately, my parents have quite often obliged me to attend their charity events. It's a good cause and that's more than positive in itself, but mostly there are only older, rich people.

"You don't seem so enthusiastic", she looks at me with interest, but I block: "No, it's a great thing". Somehow I don't feel like explaining myself now. Actually I'm here anyway only because of my parents and Ashley. But mainly because of Ashley. My parents could certainly forgive me if I found a good excuse, but Ashley would certainly not. She has been looking forward to it for days and hardly talks about anything else.

"Now let's go inside, otherwise my parents will ask where we are soon", I pull her with me to the front door, which is supervised by a man in a black suit. "All right," she follows my request fertilely.

We stop in front of the man. He raises his eyebrows, but then takes a look at the list he holds in his hand. "Names," he asks in an unfriendly tone. I didn't even know it was so exclusive here.

"Tony Stark and Ashley Louis", I say quickly, to get inside as quickly as possible, as I hardly feel like standing out here like the biggest dipshit.

The man, searching for the names mentioned, flies over the words on the paper. "Oh, Tony Stark. Right," he raises his head: "You're actually on the list." I really have to control myself not to roll my eyes. He almost sounds as if he hadn't expected it in his life.

But instead I just give him a fake smile and nod: "Yes, could we please come in now? "I'm sorry, but the lady is not on the list," he looks at Ashley with a strange facial expression. "She's my escort," I explain: "That's not a problem, is it?"

"Uh, no, of course not, before he can raise any more objections, I hold Ashley's hand tighter and then slide past the man. I pull the blonde with me.

I don't usually do that, but this guy really gets on my nerves. Who does he think he is? He is not the doorman of Beyonce.

"Wait a minute, please," Ashley demands, but I just pull her on. The first thing I need now is a drink. So I let my girlfriend go: "I'll get myself a drink. Shall I bring you something? "Okay, but I'm not drinking for now," she lets her eyes wander across the room as if looking for something.

"All right, then take a look around. Maybe you'll find my parents somewhere", I press a gentle kiss on her forehead and then disappear towards the bar.

To my surprise the place is not very crowded. Which I attribute to the fact that most of this society is made up of some rich people who don't drink 'cheap' alcohol. Or you don't drink at such 'fine' events because it's something for a good cause.

Slowly I let myself sink onto one of the bar stools and call the bartender over to me: "Please make me a nice Bourbone." "Comes immediately," assures me the man behind the bar. He wears black clothes like the waiters who try to push their way between people and seems to be about my age. "Thank you", while the barkeeper mixes for me, I look at the people at the bar.

"Bourbone? Do you think this party is so horrible?" the person next to me suddenly asks me. I had noticed her before, but I didn't really pay her any attention.

I look at the woman with mixed feelings. She has long, red hair, which falls open over her shoulders. She is wearing a black dress which, admittedly, flatters her figure well. Her feet are stuck in a pair of black high heels.

When she lifts her head and looks at me, my eyebrows automatically go up. There's something about her that I can't quite relate to. Something that seems terribly familiar to me. Her lips are full, but it is her green eyes that catch my eye. There is something mysterious and attractive at the same time.

The longer I look into her eyes, the more familiar the face seems to me. Suddenly a strange thought comes to me at the beginning, but it becomes more and more plausible the longer you think about it. Suddenly my heart begins to hammer firmly against my chest.

When she notices my gaze, a cynical grin appears on her lips that I immediately recognize. "Natasha", I ask, completely perplexed.

 


	7. Chapter 6

**Tony**

"She lifts a wine glass to her lips and takes a sip: "Have I changed that much?" Perplexed, I stare at her and have to really control myself so that my jaw doesn't fold down.

Only after I've really realized who's sitting in front of me, am I powerful enough to answer something at least partially meaningful: "N-No, I-I just didn't count on you." "But I sent you a postcard," she looks at me noticeably. Under her gaze I begin to feel somehow insecure. As if she could look into my deep inside.

Suddenly the music changes and I get an idea. The alcohol is suddenly completely forgotten. "Would you like to dance?", I stretch out my hand invitingly towards her. "I thought you'd never ask," she puts her glass down and puts her hand in mine.

Reflexively I fold my fingers into hers and increase the pressure. Almost as if I wouldn't let her go and risk losing her again.

Together we go to the dance floor where there are only a few other couples. I put one arm around her hips and then gently but firmly pull her towards me. She places her arms in my neck and then begins to move synchronously with me to the music.

Now she is so close to me that I am afraid that she can feel how fast my heart is beating. I look into her eyes searchingly and try to find out what's going on inside her, but somehow it's especially difficult with her. Normally I find it easy to read in people's eyes, but with Natasha it is somehow different.

"So, what brings you here?" I begin to question her directly. "My job," she answers briefly and succinctly, as if it were something she didn't want to talk about. So I'd rather raise a new topic so as not to embarrass her: "And what drives you to a charity event like this? She grins and softens my gaze: "Your mother asked me to attend this event." "My mother", I sound unbelieving. I knew she had her fingers in the pie!

Now the whole thing has caught my attention: "How did she find out about your stay here? "I have no idea," she admits: "But for sure it was not difficult for her to find me. Your mother is a very smart woman. "Just like you", I can't take my eyes off her.

"You think I'm smart," she asks in a mischievous tone. "Since we met for the first time", I answer honestly. In fact, she is the most intelligent woman I know. For this reason alone it would be better if I spent as little time with her as possible, but I still can't keep my hands off her. I have never been able to do that.

"And I always thought you thought I was a good girl," her words evoke in me the memories of my time as a teenager. In fact, I once said that to her. "Was I wrong?" I ask with a grin. "No, you were right," she agrees: "I was good and innocent until you spoiled me. "Corrupted? Me?", I try to look at her as outraged as possible, but inside I know that she is right. "Yes, you," she looks at me inquiring, as if waiting for me to try to save myself from the situation.

I make an innocent look: "But that wasn't all my fault." "Wasn't it?" "No, you finally let yourself in for me," I try to at least partly deny the guilt. After all, at some point she volunteered for me after I honestly turned her on.

In the beginning I only used her room as a hiding place and exit and flirted with her because I noticed that she was annoyed about it. Later, however, it became a serious interest in her, and I have more and more often wished that she would respond to me. Unfortunately, she resisted this for quite a long time, until one day she suddenly responded to me.

When she doesn't answer anymore and instead looks at me like a spell, I ask: "Have you ever regretted having met me? She doesn't avoid my gaze to my surprise: "No, but I regret having almost been thrown out because of you". "You almost got kicked out", I try to blame myself. It's true that I made a mess, but I never wanted her to have to pay for it.

"Yes, but only because my parents paid a lot of money to the school so that I could stay," she lifts an eyebrow. "Oh, I didn't know that', now I feel guilty after all. But not only because she was almost thrown out because of me, but because I had to move away with my parents shortly afterwards and so simply left them.

"To my surprise she seems to want to start a new topic: "Let's not mix the past with the present". I nod in agreement.

"Say, why is this Barbie staring at me back there as if she's going to rip my head off at any moment?" The question only confuses me because I have no idea who she means. But then I know what she might mean. "I think you mean Ashley," at the thought of her watching us I start to feel uncomfortable. Until now I could forget everything around me and only concentrate on the woman in my arms, but now I also notice the other people and especially Ashley around me again.

"I have no idea how she could know about it, but I nod. Somehow I have to fight with myself to tell the truth, as if I don't want her to know. Instead, I just want to keep feeling her closeness and dancing with her.


	8. Chapter 7

**Natasha**

I leave the toilet and approach one of the sinks. I wash my hands quickly and dry them afterwards to get back to the event as soon as possible. That I would meet Tony here was somehow clear to me, but I hadn't expected our encounter to be so intense. He still has something that attracts me like magic.

I pull a lipstick out of my handbag to renew my make-up. When I'm almost finished, the door suddenly opens and a blonde woman enters. It takes a few seconds, but then I recognize her.

In fact, it's the woman Tony and I watched dancing. I remember that Tony called her Ashley. However, the more present information I have about her is that she is Tony's girlfriend. I can't say exactly why, but this fact somehow bothers me. I don't want to say that I want anything from him, but I don't feel that they go well together.

I watch her interested in the mirror until she stands next to me and begins to check her own appearance. I'd rather not say anything because she didn't seem happy that I danced with her boyfriend.

I put my lipstick away again and just want to leave the toilet again, when the blonde gets in my way: "Not so fast". "What," I ask in surprise. What does she want from me now?

"I have no idea who you are, but I don't want you to dance with Tony again," she sparks angrily at me: "Because he already has a girlfriend." It's clear to me that she's alluding to herself, but at this moment I'm deliberately acting stupid. After all, I don't just let her bit me from the side for no reason.

"Really? He didn't even mention her, I give her a false smile: "Who is she then? I'm having a great time inside, while she's probably boiling with rage. I am his girlfriend", she emphasizes the "I" particularly strongly.

"Ah", I nod: "Good for you". "Just stay away from him," she snarls at me one last time when she realizes she can't intimidate me.

"No problem. I don't want anything from him anyway. We are just old acquaintances. Nothing more," I make clear: "Get your jealousy under control for a change.

With these words I push the blonde Barbie aside and leave the room. I purposefully make my way to the cloakroom where I left my jacket.

On the way I pass Tony. "Hey Natasha," he speaks to me, but I ignore him with a heavy heart. After all, I don't want this Ashley to bite me again because I'm talking to her boyfriend. To provoke a fight is just not my thing. Only I counter when someone starts arguing with me.

Only at the wardrobe I stop. Fortunately, there is no long queue, so I can get right to it. "Hello, I would just pick up my things," I tell the man behind the counter. He nods: "Number?" I think for a moment, but then I remember the number again: "652." Again the man nods professionally and then starts looking for mine under the jackets.

After a short time he seems to have found what he was looking for and hands me the jacket. I accept it gratefully and give him some tip. He gives me a friendly smile: "Thank you. I wish you a nice evening, My Lady." "Have a nice evening," I say goodbye just as kindly, slip into the jacket and then make my way to the exit.

But before I can step outside, someone grabs my arm. I drive around in amazement and see Tony. His gaze is questioning: "Where are you going? With all my might I try to find an excuse as fast as possible: "Sorry, Tony, but I have to go. Tomorrow is my first day at work and I should go home." Actually, that's not a lie.

He hesitantly lets go of my arm: "All right, good luck tomorrow." His gaze seems hurt, but walking feels right. A second time I don't want to mess with this Ashley because she's jealous for no reason. Tony and I are only old acquaintances, but if his girlfriend doesn't understand that, I can't relax either. I give him an excuse look and then leave the building.


	9. Chapter 8

**Tony**

I drop onto the driver's seat and start the engine. Ashley is already on my right and I can feel her gaze on me. But I don't make any effort to look at her and just steer the car wordlessly away from the parking lot.

I thread myself into the New York night traffic and concentrate on the street in front of me. From the corner of my eye I notice that Ashley is still looking at me. But I don't feel like talking right now. My thoughts at this moment are with Natasha and the question why she disappeared so hastily. But I am sure of one thing. Ashley is certainly not entirely innocent of her behaviour. Knowing my girlfriend, she could not control her jealousy. Anyway, it wouldn't be the first time. Besides, it was just a dance with an old friend.

"Are you mad at me," she asked when we stopped at a red light. "Why? Do I have a reason for it?" I answer with a counter question. "No, of course not", her voice is horrified. I have to control myself in order not to roll my eyes. Apparently she noticed my sour look, because she crosses her chest and looks at me angrily: "What is wrong with you? "What did you say to her?", my voice is cool and I don't look at her. She has no reason to be angry with me.

"Why do you care", she stubbornly avoids my questions, as if she wouldn't admit that they were talking to Natasha, but my feeling has never deceived me. At least in relation to Ashley.

"Because I can't stand your gratuitous jealousy," I look straight at the street as I answer in a cool voice. "I'm not jealous," she tries to hold against it. All she receives from me for this is a laugh of amusement. She doesn't believe that herself. "At least not for no reason", I can see her arms crossed in front of her breast and a defiant expression on her face.

"Oh yes, what reason was there for that", I drill after, not ready to just let it escape from the situation. "Don't pretend you don't know," she answers bitchily. "What do you mean?", actually it is clear to me what she means, but if I had not asked, she would surely count it as a confession. "How you looked at her. As if I didn't exist anymore", she sounds almost stunned: "You don't look at an old acquaintance or at least you shouldn't."

I have to fight against my instinct to bite my lip. Unfortunately, she's right about that. Unfortunately, she's right about that. Nevertheless, that doesn't mean anything. I was just happy to see her again.

When I realize that Ashley must have this "old friend" of Natasha's, I swallow. I haven't given Ashley any information about her and especially not about our previous relationship. Still, I don't like the fact that she doesn't see me as more than an "acquaintance", considering what we had before.

"I can assure you that this is nothing between us. No matter what you think you've seen," I stubbornly affirm to avoid further unpleasant questions. Then she doesn't answer anymore, which allows me to relax again. I would never admit that my eyes were actually glued to Natasha and that I really faded Ashley's presence out.


	10. Chapter 9

**Tony**

I take my mobile phone from the bedside table and search my contacts for the number of my best friend. He's the only one whose voice I can stand right now. Because after the little argument between Ashley and me, she can't help but pick on me. That's why I decided to sleep on the couch tonight. Her played friendliness is slowly getting on my nerves. The mood swings of this woman are sometimes really unbearable. Because although she may be friendly right now, I know for a fact that our quarrel is still far from over.

It rings briefly, but then Bruce picks up: "Hey Bro. What's up?" "Can we meet tomorrow afternoon?" I ask him. He is my best friend and therefore the only one to whom I really trust without a doubt." Oh God, what have you done wrong again," he goes on. I can hear his grin through the phone line. "Can I tell you that tomorrow? Today I really don't have the strength for it anymore", I answer honestly. "All right, but you made me curious," he tells me: "I want to know everything. "You will", I take a sip from my coffee cup: "See you tomorrow". "See you tomorrow", he says goodbye: "Sleep well, bro."

Then I hang up and drop my smartphone back onto the living room table. Then I shake my pillow and cover myself with the thin living room blanket. In winter it would probably be much too cold, but right now, in late summer, it's definitely enough. I close my eyes and try to escape into the world of dreams. But my thoughts are too fixated on the two women who attracted her attention that evening. However, one of them is more present than the others at this moment and therefore I feel like a huge asshole.

***

"Hey, Tony," Bruce waving at me from his table. I smile joyfully and then make my way to him. We've arranged to meet at the Starbucks around the corner for my lunch break today.

"Hey", I drop down on the free chair and put my cell phone in my pocket as Ashley's incoming messages slowly start to get on my nerves. Why is it so important to continue yesterday's discussion? Can't she at least let it go when she knows I'm at work? After all, we'll have plenty of time to argue later.

"How was your day so far?" he asks immediately and takes a sip from his coffee cup. It almost seems to me as if he suspects that something is wrong. "Not that great", I roll my eyes to tell him not to ask so exactly.

"All right," he looks a little confused, but then nods: "So why did you want to meet me so badly? Otherwise you'd never call me in the middle of the night." "As you know, yesterday was this charity event of my parents that I told you about," I try to check his level of knowledge. "Yes, I can still vividly remember your immense joy at this request from your parents," he grins sarcastically.

"Yes, me too," I reply with a facial expression that still doesn't sparkle with joy. "Was it such a failure as thought?", this time he looks seriously. "Well, not quite", my right corner of my mouth goes up: "The beginning and the end already." "And what about the middle?", he gives me a meaningful look. "The middle wasn't so bad at all", only a few seconds after I said that, I realize how ambiguous that sounded right now: "Let's just say that I met an old acquaintance again".

"Tell me more", he wiggles his eyebrows with interest. I briefly think about telling him, but then give in: "You know that I used to live in England, right? Since I should also use my lunch break for eating, I wave a waitress in. "Yes, and?" he waits for something to come from me. "Back then I wasn't necessarily the best version of myself," I try to be careful. "You mean there was an asshole," he filters out the core statement. "Exactly", I briefly interrupt the conversation to order a raspberry smoothie. "And what's supposed to have changed," he jokes when the employee disappeared again. I only give him a scornful look, but it's only partially played: "Very funny."

"Anyway, there was this girl then", I stare a little depressed at the table top, avoiding his gaze: "And although I had a few girls before me and although I wasn't really after her at all, she was perfect from the first moment on." "Perfect?" he looks at me in surprise: "Do you have a fever? I've never heard you say that seriously about a woman. She must have been really special." "She really is," you could almost say I was raving: "Too perfect." "What was the problem?", he looks at me questioningly.

"The problem is that she's not only beautiful, she's intelligent and that makes her dangerous," I sigh wistfully. "So she doesn't really fall into your typical baggage pattern," he tries to understand my problem. "What do you mean? my voice becomes serious. "You don't like intelligent women," he says. "That's not true at all," I object. "Ashley' is the only thing he has to say about it.

"Did you really just call my girlfriend stupid?" I sound indignant even though I know exactly what he means. Sometimes the woman in question fits perfectly into the image of the 'naive, stupid blonde'. "You know how I mean that," he tries to calm me down. I nod slightly.

A waitress brings me my drink and I lead the straw to my lips. "Did you love her?" Bruce honestly asks after a few quiet seconds that feel like minutes. I immediately realize that it's impossible for him to say to Ashley, "I think so." "Why didn't you stay with her?" "My family moved away and she had so many plans and goals that I just didn't fit into," I tell him, "And now I'm with Ashley." "You live with her. And not even because you really love her, but because she insisted," he rebukes me. Normally I would deny that, but my best friend can expose any of my lies.

I open my mouth to disagree, but then close my mouth again. After all, he's right. In the beginning I was really interested, but I only moved in with her because she really wanted it and because my parents think it's good if I have a steady relationship. Whether this still has something to do with love, however, I can no longer say exactly. After all, we've been arguing almost all the time lately.


	11. Chapter 10

**Natasha**

One last time I taste the pockets of my leather jacket to make sure I have everything. Money, mobile phone, keys, condoms, I check my checklist internally. Then I step out of the apartment and lock the door behind me. Although I am not an anxious person, I still like to play it safe. Because I would like to exclude myself extremely reluctantly.

I press the elevator button and then lean next to it waiting against the wall. For tonight I have arranged to meet my new colleague in a club where she likes to go. I accepted her invitation gratefully, because I know only few to no people here so far. A possibility to get out and get to know someone new at the same time was quite right for me.

The elevator doors open and I step into the cabin. While the car is constantly moving downwards, I look into the mirror. At the thought of how much I have changed, a grin spreads on my dark red lips. The good English schoolgirl I used to be has almost completely disappeared. But it's not really bad. Meanwhile I just want to enjoy life and my former self couldn't do that.

The typical ping of the elevator sounds when it arrives on the lowest floor. I step out immediately and leave the large apartment house where my father could only get me an apartment thanks to his good connections.

Fortunately, the club is not far away, so I don't need to call a taxi. Especially since I'm faster on foot anyway.

A few minutes later I arrived at the bar and looked for my colleague. Fortunately we spent my first days getting to know her a little better as her workplace is right next to mine. However, I liked her right from the start.

"Natasha," a female voice sounds behind me that I immediately recognize: "I'm over here. I drive straight around and see Piper Seed. A joyful smile appears on my lips. Although we don't know each other so well yet, I'm still happy to see them.

"Hey Piper", I reply as I approach her. "Did you find the way good?" she immediately begins with a little small talk. I get in right away. Luckily, she doesn't seem to be a person where you always have to be afraid of embarrassing silence. "Yes, fortunately my apartment isn't that far away yet", I give her a friendly smile and then nod towards the entrance: "Do you want to go inside?

"Sure", together we make our way to the front door and push our way past all the teenagers who are standing in front of the doors and dream of one day being old enough to be allowed to go in as well. At that thought I grin broadly because I remember my former friends who wanted exactly the same thing.

Once inside the club, I let my gaze wander through the whole room. On the dance floor, quite drunken partygoers are already squirming their lightly dressed bodies together, while others are fleeing on the seats.

"And what do you think?" Piper asks carefully, apparently really interested in my opinion. "So far quite good," I answer as I walk towards the bar with her. Together we drop onto the last free bar stools and rest our elbows on the surface of the bar: "I pay the first round!

"That's good news", she grins cheekily and seems even more likeable. "I agree with her: "What do you want?" "Let's have a round of Tequilla Sunrise, shall we?" "Sounds good", I agree.

"Seed," an unknown voice suddenly sounds behind us. I frown while Piper turns when her last name sounds. "Zac", she calls with joy. I also drive around looking at the man who is now moving towards the young woman next to me.

The first thing I can say to him is that he really looks good. His blonde hair hangs in his light brown eyes and he wears a tight black shirt, which emphasizes his well-built body even more.

As he approaches us, he barely turns his eyes away from the woman next to me for a second. When he arrives, he puts an arm around her waist and presses a kiss on her forehead: "Hey." "Hey," she answers with a grin. One of my eyebrows goes up. The suspicion that they are together grows within seconds.

"Who's your pretty companion, sweetheart?" Now he's giving me a look, too. It is not uncommon for someone to say something like that to me, but from his mouth it sounds somehow better. "This is Natasha, my new colleague," she introduces me: "She just moved to New York. "Then maybe she could use a city tour," he winking seductively at me. I roll my eyes. Is he serious? I'm not sure what kind of relationship they have, but if they really are a couple, I'd put him in Piper's place very quickly.

"No, thank you. The travel guide is still every tourist's best friend," I say quickly as I notice Piper's gaze. She doesn't seem really angry, but rather sceptical. As if she didn't know exactly if she should let him get away with it or not.

"And besides, she still has me," she straddles in between. "That's Zac Allen, by the way,' she introduces him to me now. "Your ... "? he tries to get her to name her kind of relationship. "My best friend and ex - fellow student?" she says, but it doesn't sound really safe. He makes a noise which lets it be known that he doesn't seem to be completely satisfied with this name.

"You still owe me a dance," he gently drives two fingers along Piper's side. "I know", she bites her lower lip: "But I'm actually here with Natsha". I roll with my eyes grinning: "It's okay. The night is long and I can drink on my own." The brunette gratefully looks at me: "If she doesn't mind, I'd probably go for a short dance with you." "Perfect", he reaches for her hand and pulls it with him without another word. She calls me another "I'll be right back" and then disappears in the crowd.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to leave comments and kudos!


End file.
